1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to information retrieval in data-processing systems. In particular, the present invention relates to data-processing systems which are linked to other data-processing systems by an associated linking network. More particularly, the present invention relates to associated networks which utilize mark-up languages. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing, via a mark-up language medium, personalized data-processing applications for utilization by data-processing users.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of computerized information resources, such as the xe2x80x9cintenetxe2x80x9d and the proliferation of xe2x80x9cwebxe2x80x9d browsers allow users of data-processing systems to link with other servers and networks, and thus retrieve vast amounts of electronic information heretofore unavailable in an electronic medium. Such electronic information is increasingly displacing more conventional means of information transmission, such as newspapers, magazines, and even television. In communications, a set of computer networks which are possibly dissimilar from one another are joined together by xe2x80x9cgatewaysxe2x80x9d that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols utilized by the receiving network, with packets if necessary. A gateway is a device used to connect dissimilar networks (i.e., networks utilizing different communication protocols) so that electronic information can be passed from one network to the other. Gateways transfer electronic information, converting such information to a form compatible with the protocols used by the second network for transport and delivery. The term xe2x80x9cinternetxe2x80x9d is an abbreviation for xe2x80x9cinternetwork,xe2x80x9d and refers commonly to the collection of networks and gateways that utilize the TCP/IP suite of protocols, which are well-known in the art of computer networking. TCP/IP is an acronym for xe2x80x9cTransport Control Protocol/Interface Program,xe2x80x9d a software protocol developed by the Department of Defense for communication between computers.
Electronic information transferred between data-processing networks is usually presented in hyper-text, a metaphor for presenting information in a manner in which text, images, sounds, and actions become linked together in a complex non-sequential web of associations that permit the user to xe2x80x9cbrowsexe2x80x9d through related topics, regardless of the presented order of the topics. These links are often established by both the author of a hyper-text document and by the user, depending on the intent of the hyper-text document. For example, traveling among links to the word xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d in an article displayed within a graphical user interface in a data-processing system might lead the user to the periodic table of the chemical elements (i.e., linked by the word xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d), or to a reference to the use of iron in weapons in Europe in the Dark Ages. The term xe2x80x9chyper-textxe2x80x9d was coined in the 1960s to describe documents, as presented by a computer, that express the nonlinear structure of ideas, as opposed to the linear format of books, film, and speech.
The term xe2x80x9chyper-media,xe2x80x9d on the other hand, more recently introduced, is nearly synonymous with xe2x80x9chyper-textxe2x80x9d but focuses on the nontextual components of hyper-text, such as animation, recorded sound, and video. Hyper-media is the integration of graphics, sound, video, or any combination into a primarily associative system of information storage and retrieval. Hyper-media, as well as hyper-text, especially in an interactive format where choices are controlled by the user, is structured around the idea of offering a working and learning environment that parallels human thinkingxe2x80x94that is, an environment that allows the user to make associations between topics rather than move sequentially from one to the next, as in an alphabetic list. Hyper-media, as well as hyper-text topics, are thus linked in a manner that allows the user to jump from one subject to other related subjects during a search for information. Hyper-link information, such as xe2x80x9cWorld Wide Webxe2x80x9d address sites, are contained within hyper-media and hyper-text documents, which allow a user to go back to the xe2x80x9coriginalxe2x80x9d or referring Web site by the mere xe2x80x9cclickxe2x80x9d (i.e., with a mouse or other pointing device) of the hyper-linked topic.
A typical networked system which utilizes hyper-text and hyper-media conventions follows a client/server architecture. The xe2x80x9cclientxe2x80x9d is a member of a class or group that uses the services of another class or group to which it is not related. Thus, in computing, a client is a process (i.e., roughly a program or task) that requests a service provided by another program. The client process utilizes the requested service without having to xe2x80x9cknowxe2x80x9d any working details about the other program or the service itself. Thus, in a client/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer (i.e., a server).
In such a client/server architecture, a request by a user for news can be sent by a client application program to a server. Such a server is typically a remote computer system accessible over the Internet or other communication medium. The server scans and searches for raw (e.g., unprocessed) information sources (e.g., newswire feeds or newsgroups). Based upon such requests by the user, the server presents filtered electronic information as server responses to the client process. The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system, and communicate with one another over a communication medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server.
Client and server can communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The world wide web (WWW) or, simply, the web, includes all the servers adhering to this standard which are accessible to clients via Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). For example, communication can be provided over a communications medium. In particular, the client and server may be coupled to one another via Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) or TCP/IP connections for high-capacity communication. Active within the client is a first process, known as a xe2x80x9cbrowser,xe2x80x9d which establishes the connection with the server and presents information to the user. The server itself executes corresponding server software which presents information to the client in the form of HTTP responses. The HTTP responses correspond to web xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d constructed from a Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML), or other server-generated data.
The client and server typically display browsers and other internet data for a user via a graphical user interface. A graphical user interface is a type of display format that enables a user to choose commands, start programs, and see lists of files and other options by pointing to pictorial representations (icons) and lists of menu items on the screen. Choices can generally be activated either with a keyboard or a mouse.
Many software developers are utilizing the convenience and flexibility of standard web browsers to develop new user interfaces for their products. Although convenient and flexible, this new and evolving HTML programming lacks many of the programming tools and techniques for developing applications for complex programming or user environments.
The popularity of the world wide web has also created a tremendous focus on the HTML programming environment for many different types of applications. Although generally available software application development tools have evolved considerably in the last few years, the HTML programming language is still basically a crude, tag-oriented, word-processing type of environment. Applications developers are either forced to create alternatives or resort to the use of more complex application programming languages such as JAVA, ActiveX, and so forth, which are well-known in the art of computer programming.
Because the world wide web is currently breaking national borders due to the proliferation of client/server systems throughout the world, individuals utilizing different national languages are faced with human language barriers when accessing and downloading applications via web-browser-based applications. For example, a developer of a web-browser-based application with a requirement to support world wide distribution in foreign languages, with specific content for each country and each host system, is faced with the problem of providing multiple copies of such applications in different languages. A need thus exists for a method and system which provides personalized mark-up language-based data-processing applications to users located in different countries. Such a method and system could be particularly tailored to the language and country of the user.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide for information retrieval methods in data-processing systems.
It is another object of the invention to provide methods and systems which can be utilized with data-processing systems linked to other data-processing systems by associated linking networks.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method and system which allows hyper-link information utilized in data-processing system networks to be retained in a printable medium.
A method and system for personalizing standard data-processing applications for utilization by diverse data-processing application users is presented. Initially, data which includes a group of human language files is stored within a source directory within a data-processing system. Next, the presence of the group of human language files is automatically detected within the source directory in response to loading general system data into a working directory, wherein at least one human language file among the group of human language files corresponds to a preset human language setting for the data-processing system. Thereafter, the human language file which corresponds to the preset human language setting is loaded into the working directory from the source directory. Next, the general system data is configured with the human language file which corresponds to the preset human language setting such that the general system data is now personalized to the human language of the user of the data-processing system. The data can include hyper-text data for utilization in data-processing applications such as internet-based web browsers.